snorf

First time acura owner (have owned Hondas in the past)with an honest assessment – no need to trash me as this is merely the honestopinion of one owner. We’ve owned our RDXAdvance for about 6 weeks (just over 1000 miles). Overall, it’s a great car. One of the best we’ve owned (at ages 58 and60). I won’t hit the plusses of the caras they’re pretty well known. But in myopinion it is not a “luxury car”, but just an expensive honda – essentially a 6cyl CR-V. It’s easy to see why US Newsranked the RDX as #10 of the small luxury SUVs. We looked at the 2015 RDX, but it lacked a lot of features that were inmany “non-luxury” cars. In fact, the 2015CR-V offered things not available on the 2015 RDX. (We had rear vents in a 2010 toyota and theyweren’t available on a 2015 RDX!) In2016, acura added a lot of safety features that were on the 2015 mazda CX-5(our neighbor has one) and on a lot of everyday mid-sized sedans that we rentwhen we travel. Overall, we’re verypleased with the car. There are manynice things about it, but I thought I’d just vent on a couple of areas that makeme think acura is nothing more than an expensive honda:

• The interior is nice, but nothing special. I don’t think it’s any nicer than our 2015nissan Altima 3.5SL. In fact, the Altimainterior may actually be a little nicer than the RDX. (The toyota venza, on the other hand, was fullof hard, shiny, misfitting plastic.)
• We have a lot of wind noise (I’m not talkingabout tire noise, but wind noise). Thishas been a long-time issue for acura that they just don’t seem to be able tofix or do not care to fix. Our 2010venza had no wind nose. Our 2015 altimahad no wind noise. The last car we ownedwith wind noise was a 2000 honda accord. In googling wind noise issues for acura it seems to be prevalent in manyof their models for years and continuestoday in many of their models. I readthat they put in thicker glass and a three layered door seal in the RDX. That’s nice. But it didn’t get rid of the wind noise. Acura’s wind noise issue (although not as serious an issue) sounds like Nissan’s CVT issues. Not everyone experiences it, but those who dodo not appreciate it.
• The stereo system is the best sounding stereosystem we’ve ever had or heard in a car (better than our son’s Mark Levinsonstereo in his Lexus GS350). But theymissed the boat on this one, too. Whatwas the purpose of putting a hard drive on this stereo? To frustrate owners? Our issues are the same that have been voicedon the acura blogs about for years. Youcan only record music from a CD. Myneighbors Chrysler (non-luxury) records music via his USB port. It’s nice to have a 15 Gig hard drive, but itwould be a part-time job loading music on it if you wanted to fill all 15 Gigs(acura says 3500 songs). It seems itwould be rather distracting if a driver was putting all his time in recordingthe music, too. We’ve purchased a lot ofmusic and I can’t even remember the last time we bought a CD. Perhaps acura is not aware music is prettymuch purchased on-line and downloaded or that many laptops (and ipads) don’thave CD players to burn CDs for the acura. Today, I made a few CDs just to see if it would record on the harddrive. I recorded from iTunes and sureenough it did record on the hard drive. It didn’t label any of the songs on the hard drive, but the music isthere. I wonder just how hard acurathinks I should have to work to get my music on the hard drive with labels.
  
  I know all cars have issues of one sort or another, but Ithink if you’re going to call yourself a premium or luxury car you should havesomething that is above and beyond the non-luxury car. I don’t see it in the RDX.

012TL-GLM

Guess it depends on how you define luxury - back in the day that meant leather seats, well now you can get that in damn near anything. My mother has a Venza, nice car, no where near as refined or powerful as the RDX. Within its class, I think you'll be hard pressed to do better for the $$. I hope your issues are resolved or you can move past them and enjoy the rest of what the vehicle offers

S1LV3R-S4MUR41

Some car you've driven or been in will always be better than the RDX in one way or another. That being said....

The RDX is really a jack of all trades - master of none. That's what Acura was going for...it's hard to find a complete package like this vehicle given it's price point.

rockyboy

I think consumer reports ranked it #5. You say it's not a luxury car because it's an expensive Honda. Do you consider the Lexus NX or RX luxury cars--they are expensive Toyotas. The Audi q5 is an expensive volkswagon. The 2016 RDX is better than all of these. Here is why it's luxurious:

The sound system is top notch as you mentionned. The LED lights are the best in the segment, the jewel eyes and daytime running lights are a real head turner. All four seats are heated and the first two are ventilated. First row is power adjustable. Very comfortable seats. The amount of technology you get in this car from the computers to the sensors and cameras is astonishing. Rain sensing wipers and powerfolding mirrors in the Elite edition.

It's way classier than the Nissan or Venza. Btw the Venza has very loud wind noise on the highway but it's one of the best non-luxury cars. The RDX is the best compact luxury SUV when you consider overall factors including technology, comfort, reliability and offroad capability.

RSX_Takashi

You are very correct. Acura is simply a fully loaded (and expensive) Honda. Based on what brand you compare it to, you can say that Acura is not a luxury brand if you compared to Porsche, BMW, and Mercedez Benz. Of course, if you compare to Toyota and Honda, then the answer is yes it is a luxury brand. Most of the features offered by Acura are also offered in other competitors including Kia and Hyundai. 10 years ago, the premium segment is more divided but it is not so much now as the automotive industry is very competitive. In other words, you are absolutely correct, Acura is merely an expensive Honda. (Acura Fanboy wanna-be will try to defend it with meaningless facts)

The interior is nice indeed, however, there is way too much hard plastic and not enough soft leather touches. The hard plastic makes it easy to remove panels to run wires; however, it makes the car feel "cheap" and lowers the build quality.

Wind noise is an issue as my passenger pointed it out yesterday during a drive in the windy weather. I also find that the rain noise echoes throughout the car when it is raining heavily outside. I did not find the same issue in my old car (BMW) and my wife's car (Kia). My guess is that the ride height of the RDX and the aerodynamics might be the cause of the noise. It does not border me but I can see it as a concern for some owners.

The sound system in this car is very good, however, two things I find in my old car is not present in the RDX. 1. A software controlled graphic equalizer can definitely enhance the sound inside the cabin and customize it to the driver. 2) It would be nice to move the subwoofer from the back of the car to under the driver and passenger seat (1 big one to 2 medium ones). That way I can feel and hear the base notes and feel the light "thump" without having to turn up the volume. Both features are missing in the RDX.

The usefulness of the HD is another question. My guess is that the HD is used to hold the map data for the navi system and they allocate ~15GB for music storage. Realistically I don't see the value in that as I have USB sticks that can hold 4X more music than a 15GB HD. A HD inside the car is also a bad idea as it can be damaged due to excessive bumps from potholes and speed bumps. CD players are pretty much obsolete and I don't understand why automakers still put them in. When I test drive the RDX I brought my own music in a USB stick and plugged it into the car. 8 years ago I used an MP3 CD to test the sound system of cars.

RSX_Takashi

Consumer reports can can rank whatever they feel like it. At the end, it is very subjective and user specific. A "Best Seller" does not mean that the car will suit your driving style. Furthermore, the OP is questioning whether Acura is an overpriced Honda. There was no mention of Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagon, and Audi. Bringing them up as an example is totally unnecessary. Furthermore, I can assure you that the 2016 RDX is not better than the other makes and models you mentioned simply because of the unique features each automaker offers. Your previous post here highlights your lack of understanding of different competitors. https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...tition-934913/

Once again, you like to copy what is in the product brochure. It is the same with ALL your previous posts. (To OP: If you read ALL of ROCKBOY's previous post you will understand what I mean).

All the features you mentioned above are available in many other makes and models (Kia, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedez benz). It does not make Acura RDX any more special. The seats are comfortable, but fall short compared to the German cars. You mentioned that the "LED lights are the best in the segment". I hate to break it to you but I think the bi-Xenon Active Headlights I had in my old car is better. The high beam in HID lights is more focused compared to the LED high-beam in the RDX. I am not the first person who noticed it. "Best in class? A head turner?" May be to a 5 year old boy but for someone who spend time studying headlight technology, your comments is wrong. Perhaps the lights on the RLX is better but I can assure you that lighting on the 2016 RDX is not as good as it was hyped.

Your comment is very subjective. Some people like Nissan some people like Venza and there is nothing wrong with that. Most people buy SUV to haul kids, buy groceries, go on a few road trips, or simply want a car that is high enough to clear snow and nothing more. Here's my take on factors you consider as important:

• Technology: the more technology you have in your car, the more things can potentially break and cause you shop time.
• Comfort: Very subjective and differ from person to person.
• Reliability: You can't make claim on reliability on a car that was only released on the market in May 2015. In fact, some members are claiming reliability issues on the 2016 already. Reliability on 2013-2015 RDX, however, is questionable as there are many complaints from other forum members about brakes, suspension, squeaking, and weird noises (just to name a few).
• Offroad capability: Most drivers will not consider off roading to be something they would do. Who the heck will take a FWD (or a basic AWD) vehicle to go off roading? If you consider cutting across the road by jumping curbs just to get to the other side just to avoid a traffic jam, then you are breaking the law and not off roading. Leave the off-roading for the trucks and hummers, and full size SUVs. They are more suitable for it.

andysinnh

Having owned Acuras and Hondas for over 3 decades, I can agree with you that an Acura is not a "luxury" brand when you compare to other upscale makes who also offer standard brands (Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infinity, Chevy/Cadillac, etc). And in most cases, cars that are called Acura in the US are branded Honda in other markets. You're also correct that Acura does not go out of its way to create/offer true luxury features as compared to the others. The exception has been the RL/RLX line dating back to 96 - which still tends to fall short, and since it might be the only car that Acura offers that could be construed as "luxury/upscale", and it's at the high end and the other models don't fit that mold.

So - why do I continue to buy Acuras instead of Hondas? The main factor for me is the dealer I deal with, and the length of the warranty vs the Honda equivalent. Secondarily, I like the feel/fit/finish of the Acura vs the Honda - and the sportiness of the way they drive vs the Honda equivalent.

And this latter point may be the real difference of Acura vs Honda. In most every case, the Acura variant of a vehicle is much more performance oriented than the Honda version. Accord vs TLX. Civic vs ILX. MDX vs Pilot. RDX vs CR-V. IN each case, the Acura is more pleasing to drive. Yea, maybe it's missing some of the "luxury" features - but it's just a nicer car to drive. And, to me, catering to the driver's experience has always been Acura's target - even dating back to the original first gen Integras and Legends. The 91 Integra GS we owned was heads/shoulders over the Civic at the time.

andy

rockyboy

What are these other luxury features in the Lexus, Infinity, Cadillac that are missing in the Acura. The Acura has luxury features where it really counts--for example, does it really matter if the dash is not leather wrapped?

[QUOTE=andysinnh;15551865]Having owned Acuras and Hondas for over 3 decades, I can agree with you that an Acura is not a "luxury" brand when you compare to other upscale makes who also offer standard brands (Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infinity, Chevy/Cadillac, etc). And in most cases, cars that are called Acura in the US are branded Honda in other markets. You're also correct that Acura does not go out of

andysinnh

To me, it doesn't matter. But to many, it does. Lots of real wood. Lots of leather. Other things that get called out here and in other threads. It's never been Acura's focus.....

rockyboy

I've driven through rural areas where there are no street lights. I can assure you the 2016 RDX lights give you ultimate clarity and lights up the road and surrounding areas. Not to mention the jewel eyes look like diamonds, that's why it turns heads.

Comfort: the seating features such as how the ventilated seats become cool very quickly and the great cushiness amd ergonomic design of the seats. Smooth riding suspension system. I've been in my friends' BMW 3 series, Mercedes ML, Audi q5 etc. and the RDX has more comfortable seating.

Offroad: I used the offroad capability this week already--went over a curb in a parking lot with ease.

Reliability: the 2016 is a midcycle refresh so reliability will be just as good or better than previous models. My friend has an RDX with nearly half a million km on it and it's still going strong

Technology: This is a major feature of luxury brands and the RDX has plenty of it.

If you do a head to head comparison of the RDX vs other cars in the class, the RDX beats most in features. You have a few like the Porsche Macan that has better power and handlig but low reliability and high repair costs and smaller cabin. That's why I didn't get the Porsche.

rockyboy

I read one post where someone's wife got the Lexus NX instead of the RDX and I was shocked. The RDX beats it in every feature basically except heated stearing wheel and leather dash. If the Lexus NX is considered luxury, how could the RDX not be? Also, the RDX does offer wood trim as an option... but I prefer metal.

‹^› ‹(•¿•)› ‹^›

It's what we like to call "budget luxury. At one point brands like Lexus, Acura & Infinity were the most luxury the average car owner could afford. The difference between an Accord and a Legend was night and day. Now the difference between a fully loaded Accord/Pilot vs TL/MDX is very minimal.

Price is also a factor and to this day fully loaded Acura's are still very affordable "Luxury" vehicles compared to a Lexus. I'm pretty sure Acura can make ultra luxurious vehicles, but who can afford an 80K acura? Once the big companies started making affordable entry level Luxury cars, it became tough for a company like Acura to really compete at that level.

Are Acura's expensives econo boxes? Yes, but for the price well built, except them shyt trannies, that's another story.

hand-filer

Why would you be shocked that someone would prefer a Lexus over an Acura? Because you own an Acura and think its the greatest thing since sliced bread? We all have our reasons for buying what we feel is right for our needs. Get off the Kool-Aid already.
By the way that's a "wood grain look"dealer accessory, not real wood. As for the metal trim you prefer, it's actually painted plastic. At least it was on my 2013.

RSX_Takashi

[QUOTE=rockyboy;15551906]I've driven through rural areas where there are no street lights. I can assure you the 2016 RDX lights give you ultimate clarity and lights up the road and surrounding areas. Not to mention the jewel eyes look like diamonds, that's why it turns heads.

Diamonds!? I guess you have never seen a diamond or brought any.

I drive through roads without street lights everyday to and from work. Unless you do that everyday, you will not be able to argue with me here. RDX headlights do NOT give you ultimate clarity and light up the road and surrounding areas when compared to products offered by other manufacturers. You have a lot to learn kid before you can impress anyone with your headlights.

Obviously you have not sat in a German car and spend hours adjusting the seats. Driver seat in German cars are always better than competitors because they spend money on researching on seat ergonomics and driver position.
The suspension has nothing to do with seating. It is a totally different thing altogether.

For an Acura fanboy, nothing else matters unless it has an A badge on it.

Went over a curb is not off roading. Off roading is when you take your car to the back country to drive on raw dirt, unpaved roads, flowing rivers, and learning how to control the car up and down on steep hills. Riding over a curb means you don't know how to drive and need driving and parking lessons.

Ever watched Canada worst Driver? The drivers on those shows go over curbs at parking lot with ease often, and they drive smaller cars too. May be you should be on the show.

Based on what assumption? A member's 2016 RDX just hit the 4,000 km mark and problems were reported on the car. That's evidence you can base your statistics on. Without hard evidence, you can only assume and speculate and cannot make any claims. Your friend's RDX is not a 2016 RDX so you can't use that to make comparison.

You are misguided. Most (if not all) automakers offers similar if not better technology offered in Acura models. CMBS was available in 2006 Acura RL model. Lane departure, blind spot monitoring, parking sensors, reverse camera, Acura watch, are all old technology where the prices came down enough that automakers starting putting them into entry level cars. Heated seats, cooling seats, power liftgate, are all old tech. Acura started putting them into the RDX in order to meet and exceed IIHS safety requirements.

May I also remind you that Acura 2016 RDX does not have heated steering wheel. Where's the technology that is found in Lexus NX?

Let's put it this way: If Acura did not refresh the 2016 RDX and released it in May 2015, I would have gotten something else.

Again, how do you know if Porsche have lower reliability? You have never owned one and once again you are making false claims. You couldn't afford it anyway so why make the comparison?

Based on your mis-guided comments above, I am confident to say that you are merely just making things up without any sort of proof or prior knowledge other than some wed videos and websites.

RSX_Takashi

Of course. It doesn't matter to you but it matters to somebody else like me.

I also want heated steering wheel but that's not offered in 2016 RDX either.

RSX_Takashi

Obviously that person's wife is a very smart woman and probably very successful too. There are lots of successful women driving German SUVs and American made SUVs. I saw 7 of them (parked on my left and right) talking while standing in beside my car.

For you, you have a tough time understand what people want, accepting their opinions without talking back with some nonsense, and understand people's needs. You thoughts and opinions on cars are so far out that it is difficult for others to understand and comprehend. Your impression of "I am always right and you are 100% wrong creates an hostile yet entertaining environment for everyone to jump in and make fun.

Lastly RDX wood trim option is just plastic pieces of wood veneer secured by double sided tape. It's not real wood like Royce MB uses. The metal pieces in your car is only plastic painted in silver color.

Yumcha

Acura is not in the luxury tier that is owned by Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. They are in a notch lower where Lincoln, Buick, and Infiniti generally sit. Not an indictment but it's where they are for pricepoint and features.

The RDX offers some nice things though.

Although, in a recent thread, some nimrod thought it was a "chick magnet".

HotRodW

First of all, it's Volkswagen. Second, the Q5 is does not share its platform with any VW branded products. The RDX is less expensive than the Q5, and there are plenty of reasons for it.

BLEXV6

I have owned Honda's since 1982, and started with my 1st Acura with a 1994 Acura Vigor. As a loyal Honda owner, it was natural for me to move up to Acura. I always cross shop with Toyota and Lexus depending if I am looking for a Honda or Acura. I have always preferred the ride and cost of the Honda/Acura, although I do like the new Lexus F-sport series.

I don't understand why the starter of the thread even bought an Acura RDX.

hand-filer

I had the very same thoughts about 2 weeks into the ownership experience.

snorf

The starter of the thread bought an acura because his wife wanted something smaller than our venza with some of the newer technology and she wanted another 6 cyl - which wasn't offered in the CR-V or the mazda CX-5.

yesrdx

Who cares if people thinks it's a luxury or non-luxury? You buy it for what it is. If you're unhappy with it after your purchase (not talking about a lemon but options that's not available compared to the competition, it's really your own fault for not doing your due diligence, no?

Let me ask you this: Is a base model X3, Q5, GLK, etc. not a luxury car?

snorf

BTW - I think the RDX IS a nice car with a lot of nice features. But I think it's pretty much just an expensive Honda - a CR-V with a 6 cyl. I don't think of it as a luxury. The sticker on ours was about $43k. I don't think it was worth anywhere near that, but the price wasn't really an issue. I really didn't care what we bought. My wife was turning 60 and it was her birthday present. It was cheaper than a Cessna.

carbonTSEX

All you guys do is bash each other. Honda does offer a lot of features if not more for a cheaper price but everyone has a CRV compared to the RDX. Acura is an intro luxury vehicle. At the end of the day, I am glad we didn't go with the CRV Touring and went with the RDX Advance. I could care less about the price as long as I enjoy it.

computer_man

I agree with CarbonTSEX. You buy a car because you like it. I couldn't care less if some people consider it Luxury or not. I have both a 2010 FWD base RDX and a 2016 AWD Tech with Acurawatch RDX. I like the way it rides, like the look,and like the features. Before buying the 2016 I considered the Lexus NX, BMW X3, Audi Q5, Infiniti QX50, and Honda CRV. For various reasons I chose the RDX over the other brands. True the RDX does not have a heated steering wheel or sliding rear seats but these were nice to haves and not major features that I needed. At the end of the day you should buy a car that you are comfortable with and not worry about the luxury badge. In addition, we should all respect everyone's opinion regarding why they like one car over another and refrain from bashing them for voicing their opinion.

Puma Jim

I have driven the top of the line accords for years and loved them. I recently bought a 16 RDX advanced model and really feel like I stepped up big time. Really happy with my decision and feel like I bought a luxury vehicle yet still in a quality honda if that makes sense

RSX_Takashi

We don't argue back unless being asked a question or if someone on the forum publishes meaningless propaganda like comments that are completely wrong. (Hint: There is only one person here on the forum who has fetish fascination with their white 2016 RDX and believes strongly that women are attracted to the car and the self proclaimed successful driver. The alarming part is this individual thinks he is 100% correct and never accepts other people's opinions and talks back with rubbish when challenged.)

Most if not all of us know the car well and made the purchase due to various reasons. If we care about the badge, we would have looked somewhere else.

RDX-Rick

I think everyone has their own definition of luxury. I know for many wealthy people, they associate luxury with the cost of the item. For example they may purchase a solid oak bedroom set for $10,000 and say it is a "luxury" item because it was the most expensive in the store, and it is made from real wood. Others consider luxury to be "comfort". These people may find a memory foam mattress placed on the floor to provide the best sleep they ever had.

Likewise, earlier in this thread someone commented that the RDX was not a luxury vehicle because it did not have real leather or wood on the dashboard, or it lacked a heated steering wheel which apparently is a sign of luxury now days.

Others have an even simpler definition, and they say that since the Acura is built by the luxury division of Honda, it is therefore a luxury vehicle.

When it comes to purchasing a car, I was looking for

1. a comfortable ride, which is smooth and quiet for traveling in my retirement years.
2. fast acceleration (always loved it since my Trans-Am days)
3. As a tech geek, I was also looking for a lot of electronic toys to amuse myself with.
4. I also wanted a vehicle with an excellent reliability rating.

Before purchasing the 2016 RDX, I also looked at the Lexus NX, BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Infiniti QX50.

Although I never took a test drive in any of the others,

1. I found the RDX to be quieter and smoother than any other car I had owned in the last 35 years. The 10 way adjustable seats are very comfortable for me. I didn't feel the need to look elsewhere. I would have preferred better handling, but as a long time SUV owner, the RDX is as good (or better) than any other SUV I have owned.
2. Unless I wanted to pay a fortune for a 6 cylinder turbo engine, the RDX offered the fastest 0-60 times of all the other models.
3. I purchased the Elite model to get as many gadgets as I could. To get these same gadgets in any other model would cost many $1000's more, and I don't think any of the other models offered all the key gadgets that I really wanted. The list of features is truly impressive.
4. I'm not saying that the other brands have reliability problems ( at least not all of them), but as a former Honda owner, I was already very impressed with the Honda reliability factor, and wanted to stick with something I knew to be reliable.

So call the RDX a luxury vehicle or not, I chose it over all the other "luxury" vehicles because it provided for all my "wants" and "requirements", whereas none of the other vehicles in the list could do so, at least not without spending $10,000 more.

Moral of this long story is, the definition of "luxury car" is very personal. It doesn't matter if the RDX is considered a "Luxury" vehicle by anyone else's personal definition. It is the perfect vehicle for me, and I'm very happy with my purchase. The definition of luxury will never be decided in this thread.

S1LV3R-S4MUR41

*grabs popcorn*

RSX_Takashi

Now this is a very awesome and well written review. Why?

• This reviewer first outline what car he (or she) is looking for. (i.e. The Wants vs Need).
• This reviewer then highlights some of the competitors, and indicate that a test drive of competitor's vehicle was not required and provide an explanation why. There is no bashing and putting down other makes and models with pointless explanations that is merely based on one's lack of knowledge of other brands.
• This reviewer highlights some items can be improved with the car that was picked. In other words, this reviewer sells the good and bad and not just fill the forum with propaganda by using words such as "Best in class, best in this segment, consumer reports rated it # XYZ" or provide information copied straight from the marketing brochure.
• This reviewer did not jump to conclusion that other brands have more reliability problems; instead this reviewer highlights Honda's long tradition in making reliable products and use that as evidence and support.
• This reviewer concludes the review with his or her own definition of luxury and leaves the definition open to the reader.

If I am in the market for an SUV and read this review, I will certainly be motivated to take a peek at the car this reviewer purchased. Other reviews written by some other individuals, not so much motivated.

Comfy

Perfect answer. Thank you.

Kaputnik

Such are the threads of bored car-guys discussing a new, problem-free, soccer-mom car with no aftermarket performance support. We all know the RDX is excellent, but not much to talk about.... . Be thankful guys aren't flaming each other in the "how to strap in a child-seat" thread.

At least we have performance mods, dyno tests, and plenty starting to go wrong with our aging cars to distract us over on the first gen side.

CheeseyPoofs McNut

Interesting.

I traded my Accord in on a TLX about a year ago and the same discussion translates over to the sedan. Bottom line for me - the Acura is better is almost every way but in many ways it's very incremental as you would/should expect at the price point. I think chasing the luxury car tail is designed to work that way. A 50K luxury car/SUV isn't going to blow you away when you compare it to a 40k version. A 60K car won't wow you compared to a 50k car. You get nice incremental improvements as you climb up.

Truth be told - even if it is just a really really nice Accord or CRV what's wrong with that?

ceb

I'm not sure what company Royce MB is but ALL companies use "thin wood veneer" over plastic. This is because of occupant safety based upon crash testing regulations. "Real" wood trim doesn't meet those regulations. Equally, "metal" trim is merely a thin sheet of metal over a plastic base for the same reasons.

Most car companies that offer wood trim however,will replace the standard trim with the wood veneer plastic pieces instead of using stick-on pieces.

ceb

What is obvious from this thread is that there are multiple definitions of "luxury."

It can't be pure technology because for years Rolls Royce and Bentley lagged behind in pure technology - they used tried and true (for the UK) electronics but excelled in the mechanical aspects where they were often leaders.

What was always a hallmark of a "luxury" vehicle was fit and finish and a serene unhurried driving environment even when motoring at high speeds.

Who are we to say what is luxury. A 10 year old VW Golf was pure luxury to an East German who owned a Trabant in 1989.

I've owned a 300 and 600 Mercedes back when they were the the epitome of luxury, yet I consider that the Acura's combination of decent technology, combined with reasonable creature comforts and rock solid reliability (how often was someone stranded in their Acura) stacks up nicely

hand-filer

Most car companies does not include Acura. The wood veneer overlay contains zero wood product. I know that because I installed it. The same applies for the dash trim. It's paint over plastic, zero metal other than maybe the flakes in the paint.

shahram72

Being the owner of a new CRV, I hope they added a ton of sound deadening to the RDX. The CRV is no luxury car and I don't know how they made it ride like one. Its a nice, but small cheap car. The expensive ones with leather make me laugh. The Touring is really funny. $33K for THIS CAR? Yeah, it's way more gussied up than my LX, but I sat in it. Same horrible seats, just covered in leather. And there is no extra sound deadening and no driveline improvements. It's a joke. You have to be sensory impaired to think that car is luxury. I have seen an RDX up close, it's very different. I'll bet it feels very different as well. If you like it, you made the right choice. My point is, I'll get the base model of a simple car. If I am going to load it up with options, I'll just get the next level car up, which often comes with half those options in it's base model. Just got some MSW wheels in for my LX today, which will take the major cheap look aspect away. Can't wait to see them mounted! Oh, and since you guys don't know me in this section, I also own an '05 Acura RL, so I know what a luxury car is, at least for Acura.

rockyboy

Here is an example why the Acura is luxury.

Driving today, I turned the base and subwoofer to max on my sound system. The surround sound is INCREDIBLE!! It's at least as good as or better than any competing vehicle's sound system. I also have the sound configured so the volume automatically gets louder as I speed up and lower as I slow down. That's luxury! Also, I talk to my vehicle to tell it what to do with the sound system. It listens to my voice. That's luxury!

I feel great having the Acura badge, especially since it looks like the Batman symbol on the front fascia!

ceb

Rocky - I'm glad you like your RDX. I really do - but - the auto volume and the voice activation are pretty standard in most any car with navigation. My early '80's Rover 3500 had auto volume and my Becker Berlin radio of the same era had the same voice activation (along with RDS that actually worked)

rockyboy

Those 80's vehicles you mention, if true, were ahead of their time if they had that luxury feature. But I'm sure the sound quality doesn't compare to the RDX. The sound is actually better than when you're at the Princess of Wales theatre watching a musical.